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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30072591">thunderstorm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sp_spaceboy/pseuds/sp_spaceboy'>sp_spaceboy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Howard Goodman-centric, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, actually someone beta read this for me but shhhhh, includes some fear-induced anxiety and panic followed by heeeeella fluff, no beta we die like Ethan green, yall rlly dont understand how soft i am for woward</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:01:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>704</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30072591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sp_spaceboy/pseuds/sp_spaceboy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>wilbur learns of one of howie's (many) fears during one of their date nights.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Wilbur Cross/Howard Goodman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>thunderstorm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25002595">Growing Old (with you)</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lichinamo/pseuds/Lichinamo">Lichinamo</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span> It was date night. Howard and Wilbur were in their pajamas—the former in </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> pajamas and the latter in sweatpants and a soft t-shirt—and were cuddling while a shitty, cheesy romance movie ran on the TV in front of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Howard was tucked tightly into his partner’s side, slouching against him and eyes only half-open. A long day in the office always siphoned the life out of him, and today was no different. Meetings both in offices and over video calls, reading through various charts and documents, and nibbling on snacks throughout the day because he couldn’t afford enough time to go and grab a real lunch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You really think I would leave him for you?! He’s the love of my life!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Howie huffed a lazy, breathy chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just met him,” he criticised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heard and felt the smallest laugh reverberate through Wilbur’s ribs and chest. It was low and buzzing against his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should’ve become a movie critic with that attitude,” the man hummed back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Howard just smiled. He was in heaven.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until he wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t even noticed it was raining outside until he heard the first violent crack of thunder, and it scared him right out from under Wilbur’s arm. He straightened like he’d been shocked. His hands grabbed whatever was underneath them—one found purchase in a couch cushion, and the other floundered about until it caught the blanket that was draped over their laps and legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wilbur, too, was shocked to attention, though not by the thunder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Howie?” He called to him. He took Howard’s blanket-filled fist and carefully unfurled it so that he could hold it instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh-What—?” Another clap of thunder sent him into a further panic. Right at the sound, it were as though his heart were struck by the lightning that accompanied it. It burst in his chest and battered against his ribcage. He choked on a breath and a strained whimper came out instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And at this, Wilbur easily came to understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled warmly, fondly. This was precious. Yes, a little heartbreaking to see him so frightened, but largely very entertaining and cute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kitten…” He started, and he tugged Howard into his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Howard found himself latching on like a koala, legs curled around his partner’s hips while his arms wrapped and tightened around his midsection like snakes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another crack of thunder hit and the fear rolled through him again. He shoved his head into Wilbur’s collarbone and neck and inhaled sharply, trying to calm himself down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One hand slipped under his pajama shirt and landed delicately on the small of his back, softening an imaginary patch of pinpricks. Another came to rest at the back of his head and grounded his frazzled mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re safe,” Wilbur whispered in an unfamiliar, tender tone. He began to calmingly scratch Howard’s scalp and run his fingers through his thick hair. “Nothing can hurt you here, Kitten.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thunder rumbled a fourth time outside the window. Howard trembled against his partner. He felt like a damned fool. Yet he found himself too scared and preoccupied to attempt any sort of self-soothing, so he just clung desperately to Wilbur and prayed that he could do it for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt himself leaning forward, and his head slid to the center of Wilbur’s chest as the man laid them both down on the couch. A low hum resonated within Wilbur’s chest. Melodic, slow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Howard winced once more at another crack, but his reaction was smaller now. The thunder was fighting for dominance with Wilbur’s soft singing, and it was slowly losing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt Wilbur’s calloused hand come to rest on his left ear, muffling the outside world. The next roll of thunder was fainter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Howard muttered into Wilbur’s shirt as his heart finally slowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt himself begin to slip back and forth across the threshold between sleep and the waking world. He would dip in and out, finding that Wilbur would skip a couple lines in the song he sang. He would feel himself jump between different positions. Everything was collecting a layer of fuzz, and it encased him heaviest of all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had drifted off by the end of the song.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>please please PLEASE go check out my lovely friend Lichinamo's fic "Growing Old (with you)" and the series it's in!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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